A long, long, long while back someone objected to the Potentials using the word "punished" to describe their feelings about the bomb. I disagree:

(1) It's Amanda talking. Amanda (the one with a personality!) has worried about rules, entitlement, and approval as long as we've known her (the first "Buffy the Guidance Counselor" episode--was that "Help"?). It makes sense that she'd articulate the feeling of having deserved the loss and injuries as "punishment," because that does seem to be how Amanda perceives the universe.

(2) The Potentials are still kids. Most of their lives have been about learning the rules (of life, of Slayerhood--especially if they were picked up and trained by the Watchers at an early age). They still believe--they probably have to believe, for their sanity--that if only they can figure out the right rules (the right leader, the right way to fight), they can be safe. They can get out of this alive. I think another Potential might have said, "So we got we deserved, huh?" and Kennedy did indeed rephrase Amanda's statement into the more Kennedy-like "It's our fault for following Faith," but the feeling makes sense for all of them.

(3) I really loved Buffy's response to that. And I loved Buffy rescuing them. I love that her actions indicate how much she wants to protect them, but she's still very brusque and uncomforting with them when they ask questions. She's still all focused on the First, and still bloody awful at just chatting with them and trying to make an emotional connection.

Even if James refused to know the answer to the soul/chip puzzle

I'm curious as to why he might have wanted this - any of the actor-people in the crowd have any idea?

RE Buffy, I've figured out part of why her arc didn't really work for me so well this year, and I think it's a POV issue. We were given so little insight into what was going on with her - with any of the regulars, really - that I think I ended up seeing the season from the viewpoint of the potentials. Which is probably not what they intended, but explains a lot about my irritated reactions to her since they showed up.

Did you all catch the Python shout out last night-Giles talking about the holy hand grenade?

Yes! And I said to a friend, "Python reference!" And then discovered that she's never seen Holy Grail and didn't get the joke. It was sad.

Dana, that's no friend. That's a freak.

I hope it doesn't come as too much of a shock that I strongly disagree-that I think much of the season has been about showing Spike's rocky path to redemption (and Buffy's gradual acceptance of same), that imo it has done so both convincingly and often brilliantly (starting with the church seen in Beneath You, which I consider one of the ten greatest scenes in the entire series).

Well, it comes as no shock that you strongly disagree.

What comes as a shock is that you think you've been shown things when you've been told things.

Showing things happens when you DON'T use words.

This season has been all about too many damned words.

There has been almost no show, and almost all tell this season, and there are six other seasons previous to this, full of much more show than this one is. I'm utterly boggled that you've watched any of the previous seasons and can't tell the difference.

Cereal to try and doblerize...

I think I came on very strong in the last post, which is maybe unwarranted.

But while I agree that "like" and "dislike" are completely and utterly subjective, and matters of personal taste, "show" and "tell" are much, much less so. They are actually sort of quantifiable, and this season, this ending arc in particular, is all about the telling, with almost no showing.

If you like, that's fine. Just don't tell me I've been shown something when I haven't.

Showing things happens when you DON'T use words.

Sean, I'm going to nitpick this a little--I think it would be better to say "speeches" rather than "words." Because I think it's perfectly possible to reveal character through dialogue, without ever violating the "show, don't tell" rule.

For an excellent example of Good Television, watch the last few episodes of 24. Or the whole damn season. But definitely last night's episode. I was literally on the edge of my seat. The entire time.

See my own subjective test for good television is whether I look at my watch and think, "How much longer do I have to endure this", or I look at my watch and think, "dammit, there's only 8 minutes left, where has the time gone?" For me Buffy has been more of the former, and 24 the latter (without the watch part b/c 24 gives you plenty of time cues throughout.) And this depresses me because BtVS used to be the One True Show on television.

Valid nitpick, Susan.

What is it with all the nitpicking today???

Can't a guy just make some blanket, declarative statements in peace around here???

(sorry)

But yes, I see your point. However, I feel my position still stands:

"Like" and "dislike" are very subjective, "show" and "tell" much less so. You can tell me you like this season and this ending arc, but don't try to tell me I've been shown things when I haven't. I've seen how the writers can show, and this ain't it.